ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

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tylerrr
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ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by tylerrr »

I don't want to buy one of those bottles of degreaser for my bicycle chain.

What homemade solution do you use to clean off your bicycle chain and gears, etc. from all the dirt build up and grease?

Today, i just used a damp cloth and some some dishwashing soap in water with a toothbrush to clean the chain, then i went over it again with just water, then I lubed it with some T-9.

Any recommendations on a homemade degreaser/cleaner?

jacob
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by jacob »

No immediate suggestions beyond google but after 6 years, I'm still on my first bottle of commercial "lemon cleaner".
(It comes liquid in a bottle and dilutes in water.)

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C40
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by C40 »

The common homebrew mixture among many serious cyclists is 75% mineral spirits and 25% motor oil (or somewhere around there). I've been using that for many years and it works great. You use this mixture to both lube and clean the chain. This is incredibly cheaper than buying a branded product. It also works just as well and in some cases, better. You might want to buy one bottle of branded chain lube in order to get a the bottle. It's nice having a bottle to squirt the lube onto the chain. I've been reusing the same bottle for like 10 years.

(You can google "homebrew chain lube" to fund a ton of info)

If you really, really want something specifically for cleaning it, you could use 100% mineral spirits. If you don't have anything else, gasoline will do. But I don't recommend doing that, unless maybe a one-time thing for a chain that is incredibly dirty. If the chain has a quick-link disconnect, take it off, put it in a rubber container, pour enough gas or mineral spirits to cover the chain, and set it on top of your washing machine when it runs. Then promise yourself you will never let the chain get that dirty again. If the chain doesn't have a quick-link, it's not worth breaking a normal link just to clean the chain.

George the original one
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by George the original one »

> Then promise yourself you will never let the chain get that dirty again.

Er, like how often should the mountain bike chain be cleaned when riding primarily on wet gravel logging roads?

jacob
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by jacob »

Whenever it gets wet.

tylerrr
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by tylerrr »

jacob wrote:No immediate suggestions beyond google but after 6 years, I'm still on my first bottle of commercial "lemon cleaner".
(It comes liquid in a bottle and dilutes in water.)
do you have a link or a specific name for it? thanks

KevinW
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by KevinW »

I'm in the "let it be" camp so I leave the chain to its own devices until I notice evidence of a problem (interference or stretch).

George the original one
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by George the original one »

jacob wrote:Whenever it gets wet.
So every day here in western Oregon unless Spoonman is taking pictures :o

vexed87
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by vexed87 »

jacob wrote:No immediate suggestions beyond google but after 6 years, I'm still on my first bottle of commercial "lemon cleaner".
(It comes liquid in a bottle and dilutes in water.)
Yep, just be sure to buy the concentrated kind, avoid buying the small diluted bottles. Using degreaser sparingly will make a bottle last a long time. I.e. prepare a diluted bottle and poor a little into a cap and apply with old tooth brush to cassette and jockey wheels, use the mickle method to keep on top of cleaning the chain and you won’t have to use degreaser often, rags from old torn up t-shirts will do:

http://www.cyclorama.net/viewArticle.ph ... ubjectId=9

I haven't actually tried it myself, but apparently white spirit is quite economical, as long as you don't splash it everywhere (not great for the environment), oil will separate off to the bottom and the spirit can be reused. I would imagine it’s great for soaking a disassembled drive train for this reason.

jacob
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by jacob »

@tylerrr - http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Pr ... 1030946_-1
along with
http://www.parktool.com/product/cyclone ... ber-CM-5-2
If the diluted lemon cleaner doesn't look too dirty, I keep the solution in another bottle and reuse it.

tylerrr
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by tylerrr »

jacob wrote:@tylerrr - http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Pr ... 1030946_-1
along with
http://www.parktool.com/product/cyclone ... ber-CM-5-2
If the diluted lemon cleaner doesn't look too dirty, I keep the solution in another bottle and reuse it.

You use the cyclone chain scrubber too? I guess it saves time while cleaning the chain?

jacob
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by jacob »

Yes, I love it. C40 doesn't. It saves time but for me it gets the chain cleaner than anything I could do with a rag.

tylerrr
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by tylerrr »

vexed87 wrote:
jacob wrote:No immediate suggestions beyond google but after 6 years, I'm still on my first bottle of commercial "lemon cleaner".
(It comes liquid in a bottle and dilutes in water.)
Yep, just be sure to buy the concentrated kind, avoid buying the small diluted bottles. Using degreaser sparingly will make a bottle last a long time. I.e. prepare a diluted bottle and poor a little into a cap and apply with old tooth brush to cassette and jockey wheels, use the mickle method to keep on top of cleaning the chain and you won’t have to use degreaser often, rags from old torn up t-shirts will do:

http://www.cyclorama.net/viewArticle.ph ... ubjectId=9

I haven't actually tried it myself, but apparently white spirit is quite economical, as long as you don't splash it everywhere (not great for the environment), oil will separate off to the bottom and the spirit can be reused. I would imagine it’s great for soaking a disassembled drive train for this reason.
Yes, I read the link.. I always feel like if I wipe so much after applying the lube that I'll be getting rid of the lube! But I guess once the lube gets on the inside where it's needed, you can't really reach it with your wipes.

vexed87
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by vexed87 »

Exactly, wiping down after application will stop the cassette and jockey wheels getting excessively gunked up too!

jacob
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by jacob »

I apply one drop of oil between the outer and inner plate at the pin to each and every link on both sides of the chain. This avoids the waste and pickup of dust from just sploshing it on.

tylerrr
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by tylerrr »

jacob wrote:I apply one drop of oil between the outer and inner plate at the pin to each and every link on both sides of the chain. This avoids the waste and pickup of dust from just sploshing it on.

can you do that with the bike standing up? Or do you have to take the chain off?

jacob
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by jacob »

Bike is leaning against a wall with the chain on. I never take the chain off.

RealPerson
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by RealPerson »

I use orange solvent and never take the chain off for cleaning. Have not had any issues.

vexed87
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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by vexed87 »

I haven't had a problem with applying oil to just one side of the chain (top most side), though this may depend on the viscosity of your oil. just let gravity do its thing and rotate the chain a few revolutions before wiping excess.

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Re: ERE Bike Chain Degreaser

Post by jacob »

When I say both sides, I mean left and right, not up/down. The viscosity of the oil causes it to seep/suck right in between the plates.

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